Ok here it be! It took a long time though…presidents day weekend…well we had a 4 day weekend and three of those days I was at a tournament…woot...lol my teammates always laugh when I say woot…anyway enjoy!

Chapter Five: Your Hand

I want to hold it

But I am scared

Your skin looks so soft and inviting

I reached for it only to end up pulling back

I'm sorry that my coward ness is so obvious

I looked up into the dark cold sky

To only feel your fingers lace through mine

xxx

Sasuke could feel it…the only feeling left inside of him was anger. It was building and building…he had been so good at controlling it, but now it was starting to fall apart.

He hadn't been to school in over a week now; he was just rotting away in his room. Time was frozen…never moving. He had actually come to liking it. That's what frightened him the most.

I can't just sit here…I have to act. I've had enough of this. I can't lose my grip on Sakura. Today I'll make sure I've got her…Got her in my grasp; and I don't plan on letting go.

As he went through the processes in his head he began to question himself. It wasn't like him. Sakura was the only one that seemed to be blind to his actions…Naruto, Neji, Hinata…they were the ones that looked at him for what he really was.

x

Naruto smiled.

Heh heh Sasuke hasn't been here in over a week. Maybe he left again, good riddance; that little traitor. If he left, then that means I can stop worrying about Sakura so much.

Naruto looked at Sakura who was moping beside him. She missed him…he hadn't even bothered to visit her after getting out of the hospital. Jerk. Naruto had at one point hoped that Sasuke really had changed and forgot about Itachi…but from the looks of things that wasn't what was going to happen.

"Naruto…"

Naruto glanced at his pink haired friend, "Yeah Sakura?"

"Do you think Sasuke will be coming back soon? I mean, whenever I call he doesn't answer?"

Naruto ground his teeth but tried his best to sound casual, "I'm not sure." He stared down at his desk.

How could she still care about him? It wasn't like he really cared about her…Naruto was sure of that.

"I'm here now."

Naruto looked away from the wooden surface and saw Sasuke glaring back at him with the same black eyes, but they were different…more filled with hate…more then Naruto had ever seen before.

He was smiling…smiling? Sasuke walked to his desk behind Sakura. When the suspicious blonde turned around to snatch a glance; Sasuke glared back at him almost like he was…challenging him? Naruto narrowed his eyes and mouthed to words that he would know Sasuke would understand…You will never win.

xxx

As the school day came to an end Sasuke sighed and awaited Sakura. School had been a real pain in the ass…he had finally turned in that way overdue project…but that really didn't matter much. When he saw Sakura exiting the school he was relieved to see that she wasn't with Naruto. Naruto was beyond suspicious of what his interaction with Sakura was and Sasuke was tired of him trying to interfere.

Sasuke was just outside the gate and when Sakura walked passed he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him, "Sakura…"

As she looked at him her eyes were filled with the most sincere concern. He brushed his fingers along her jaw line, "Sakura…can you do me a favor?"

"Sasuke how can I even…"

"Trust me? Well that's your choice to make. I really need you right now."

Sasuke was a little scared…the way he worded that last sentence…she might suspect something. His suspicions released as she whispered, "I'll do what you want Sasuke. Friends…they help each…other."

"That's right…maybe one day we could…"

He stopped himself…what he was about to say was wrong and words could be binding…especially if they weren't true. Instead of finishing his sentence he lightly kissed her cheek, "About that favor…"

x

Why had she agreed to this? This was nuts…she wasn't a good actress and this could go wrong at any second. Besides this girl was…well an acquaintance? Hardly…but if this was what Sasuke wanted it couldn't be bad…right…Naruto…

"Ten Ten wait up a sec!"

The beautiful brunette turned around swiftly, "Oh Sakura? Nice…to uh…see you?"

Sakura smiled…as best she could… "Well quick question! This friend of mine wants to know if you like Neji…you know like like?"

Well it wasn't a total lie…Sasuke wanted to know for some reason, but Sakura was hoping that Ten Ten assumed Sakura was referring to another girl. Sakura saw Ten Ten's face flush a light pink…not as severe as Sakura's blushing habits.

"Well...I guess you could say I do…I was actually planning…"

Sakura turned around and ran…she didn't want to listen to anything else…that's all she needed to hear. The thought suddenly surged through her head.

What if Sasuke likes Ten Ten? Could that be possible? He never talks to her…at least I don't think he does! Why else would he want to know though…?

Sakura opened the door to her apartment and found herself breathing really hard…she had run the entire way…she never thought she could run that far and fast without stopping. She shut the door, as she looked up from the ground she saw Sasuke leaning against the kitchen counter.

Sakura managed to breathed the words, "She does; but why…"

Before she could finish her sentence Sasuke had his hands around her face and brought it up to his own…his face only inches away from her own, "Sakura…" The way her said her name took away nearly all the breath that was left in her. "Sakura…For the next few hours I want you to stay here. Tomorrow stay at home and don't leave. I want you to stay here…alright?"

"But why?"

He softly kissed the corner of her lips, "Because friends trust each other…do you trust me?"

She did without a doubt…even though something was wrong. There was another thing that bothered her in the worst way…couldn't he see she didn't just want to be friends with him?

"I trust you…Sasuke."

The feel of his name leaving her lips was sensational.

"That's good. That's all I want from you."

She felt his lips kiss the other corner of her mouth and before she knew it he was out the door.

x

Sasuke's grasp on her definitely wasn't weakening. He had to admit though when he kissed her so close to her lips he was actually tempted to take her into a true kiss…but it wasn't time for something that rash. He didn't need to do much to convince her to do what he wanted.

He needed her to stay at her apartment tomorrow because the next day Ten Ten wouldn't be at school…and that would certainly raise Sakura's suspicions.

Sasuke arrived outside Ten Ten's house. She would be coming home right about now. When Sakura told him Ten Ten was friends with Neji he had gone through the trouble of finding information on her. She had apparently been friends with Neji for years…even when Neji was attending the academy. Her family had made weapons for the Hyuga so they had close relations which is why what he was about to do was very risky.

He saw Ten Ten approaching…before she could enter her home he grabbed her and pulled her into the alley he was hiding in, "Ten Ten…you could be of excellent use."

xxx

The phone rang again…again…again…again. Finally Neji hung up. Why wasn't Ten Ten answering? Something was beyond wrong. He decided to call her cell one last time.

Ring…ring...ring…answer, "Hello?"

It wasn't Ten Ten's voice.

"Sasuke you bastard! Where the fuck are you?!"

"At my place…simple enough right? Come and get her…"

All that was left for Neji to listen to was the annoying ring of the dial tone. Neji stuffed his cell in his pocket and huffed, "Sasuke if you do anything to her…"

Neji ran as fast as he could to Sasuke's place. Neji had records on this guy…even though he was hard to keep track of. As he sprinted up the stairs cursing under his breath he thought of what Sasuke's could possibly be doing to Ten Ten.

He tried to open the door, but it was locked, "Sasuke god dammit open up!"

Sasuke replied calmly, "You're supposed to knock first."

Neji sighed deeply as Sasuke slowly opened the door but when he entered Sasuke was standing next to Ten Ten. She was sitting on the ground, her hands and feet bound, gagged…she also had cuts and scrapes on her delicate face…most likely from trying to escape.

Closing the door behind him Neji yelled, "Sasuke you bastard let her go."

x

Sasuke knelt down and pulled a pocket knife out of his pocket and traced it along her jaw line, just above her skin. For some reason this reminded him of Sakura…the way he traced his fingers along…okay it was time to stop thinking about that.

"You know what I want Neji…besides you brought this upon yourself. You wanted me to find a creative way to get that bit of information out of you and here it is."

"Sasuke this is way…"

Before Neji could criticize Sasuke actions (again) he sliced Ten Ten's shoulder causing blood to run down her arm. She tried to scream in spite of the gag.

"Sasuke enough!"

"Then you know what to tell me." Sasuke said as he held the knife closer to Ten Ten's face. She shut her eyes and Neji could tell she was praying in her head.

Neji gave in and Sasuke smirked his devilish smirk, "Sasuke…Itachi told me before he destroyed your clan that there is one person that holds the key to his defeat. She is strong, yet weak, scary, but comforting….she is the one that is your future, who you will treasure even after death. And she is the one that holds all secrets. He also told me never to tell you this unless…well you did something like this."

Sasuke stared at Neji trying to find a lie hidden in his stiff features, "I promise you Sasuke, that's all he told me."

Sasuke grimaced and knocked Ten Ten hard in the head to cause her to lose consciousness, "Make sure she doesn't remember any of this. I'm sure you can handle that much Neji."

Sasuke stepped away from the girl and Neji was quickly at her side. After Neji had untied Ten Ten and put her on his back, "Sasuke I should kill you right now."

Sasuke said nothing, his smirk dissolving into a mere frown.

"But I won't. Like myself, you have ambitions and dreams…and until you reach those heights I won't interfere. Even though you stooped so low as to do this…I'll stay out of your way."

Neji left without saying anything more.

Sasuke remained where he was.

A girl? Who the fuck could Itachi be referring too? How am I supposed to find her? How could she hold all the secrets I need. How can I get to her…let alone convince whoever she is too tell me what I need to know…

Sasuke walked slowly over to his window, just in time to see the rain start to fall. Winter was on his way and that rain may someday turn into snow.

As he looked down form his fourth story window he saw Ren staring back at him. She cocked her head to one side and smiled. Her smile looked crooked and cruel; she then waved to him and signaled her to come down. He hesitated…but then decided that there was no reason for him to be nervous in any way shape or form.

x

Meanwhile Sakura was lying on her bed in her room and tried to busy herself with homework. Although she couldn't concentrate at all; she could only think about Sasuke.

Why am I doing homework if I'm not going to school tomorrow? Why aren't I going to school tomorrow anyway? Do I really need to listen to him…

Even though all of these thoughts scurried through her mind she still felt like she trusted Sasuke. Even if she really had no reason too…it's not like he did a lot for her anyway.

She rolled over and looked at the ceiling…she couldn't help but picture Sasuke's face…sadly that wasn't the first time.

Sasuke…Will I ever get to be closer to you? You fell so distant…So very far away.

Sakura suddenly found herself scribbling down words in her pink notebook with her red pen with the pink bunny on top. As she wrote the words down she couldn't help but cry. The tears were warm…warm with the desire to be with him. It wasn't until that moment that she realized just how much she wanted to be with him. Also, all the confusion that dwelled in her heart felt soothed and dissipated.

Close to you…

I want to get there

Arrive at your side and stay there

But maybe that will only remain a dream

A dream that may never be realized

When I look at you I always wonder

Do you feel the way I do

When you touch me

Even in the slightest way

My heart jumps and then drops again

But that feeling is what I long for

But now…

I want more

Your lips against mine would probably make my heart screech to a stop

But I'm willing to risk that if you would stay with me

Keep me close to you

-Sakura

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So Sasuke has finally gotten his answer from Neji…in a pretty smart way. Next chapter Ren will work more of her magic…in her own twisted ways. So who do you think the girl is? Review pretty please…